A user seeks advice on the optimal prompt formatting strategy for training the Phi-3.5-mini-instruct model using Unsloth. The inquiry contrasts maintaining a custom text format against utilizing a standard chat template for dataset preparation. The current implementation employs a function that structures data into '### Input:' and '### Output:' sections, appending an end-of-text token. This approach processes JSON-encoded input and output fields derived from a Hugging Face Dataset object. The provided example illustrates a complex structure involving financial insights, merchant names, dates, and transaction totals. The user intends to deploy the trained model via a custom API and requests guidance on whether to retain this format or switch to a chat template.